Deep Ellum Brewing Company

DALLAS - Another new craft brewery called Deep Ellum Brewing Company is in the late development and planning stages for the Deep Ellum entertainment district of east Dallas.

Owner John Reardon is already searching for a professional brewer and staff, and hopes to be open by spring 2011.

Austin New Brewery Roundup

BREWERS IN THE NEWS

AUSTIN - Lee Nichols of the Austin Chronicle sums up the local new breweries expected to open soon in the Hill Country with his piece, "Beer in Bloom."

Included in this profile are breweries presently in the construction stage such as Jester King Craft Brewery, Circle Brewing, South Austin Brewing, Pecan Street Brewing, Hops and Grain, and Thirsty Planet Brewing, and even enterprises still in the planning and fundraising stages such as Orf Brewing, Moonlight Tower Brewing and Twisted X Brewing (formerly Barbed Wire Brewing).

Rahr & Sons Resumes Brewing

FORT WORTH - Brought to a halt from a snowy roof collapse months ago, Rahr & Sons Brewing has finally finished repairs and is brewing once again in their newly refurbished site in Fort Worth.

The new facilities include many new amenities and layout improvements that were able to be made during reconstruction. A new bottling line has yet to be installed but kegs should once again be moving out the door soon.

No word yet on resuming their popular Saturday tours and tastings. Construction has left the surrounding industrial area fairly rough, and they are awaiting some remediation before hosting the expected crowds once again.

Saint Arnold Celebrates 16 Years

HOUSTON - Saint Arnold Brewing Company celebrated its 16th anniversary this weekend with events both at their newly occupied facilities as well as corresponding events in other cities.

The celebrations include the third annual Saint Arnold Olympics at the Houston brewery location as well as a downtown Austin pub crawl on June 19th and special keg tappings all week at select locations in Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Dallas/Fort Worth.

Armadillo Ale Works

DENTON - Former professional brewer Bobby Mullins announced via Facebook/Twitter that he will open a brewpub in Denton called Armadillo Ale Works. The brewpub is still in the planning and development stages, and no opening date has been set.

Barbed Wire Brewing Name Change

AUSTIN - Startup brewery Barbed Wire Brewing was forced to abandon their name after receiving legal papers from Sutter Home, who is attempting to trademark their Barbed Wire wine, as reported by Patrick Beach of the Austin American-Statesman this week.

Rather than enter a struggle for the legal rights, owner Jim Sampson and his partners decided an easier course of action was to change the name of their enterprise to Twisted X Brewing Company. This brewery is still in the planning and development stages.

Circle Brewing Brewhouse Shipped

AUSTIN - Circle Brewing reports that their recently purchased brewhouse has been shipped from its current overseas site in China. Their two 60-bbl fermenters and a 60-bbl bright tank are due to arrive at their Austin location on June 21st.

Bocklove.com

SHINER - Spoetzl has launched a new consumer website called bocklove.com. This site highlights more interactive features, videos and photos for fans of Shiner beers and the Spoetzl brewery.

Galactic Coast Brewing Company

DICKINSON - Another new brewery is in the late development stages just southeast of Houston and the NASA facilities located there, Galactic Coast Brewing Company.

Brewery rep John Ennis says they are playing things quietly right now, still awaiting official state and federal licensing. Having already acquired necessary equipment and capital, they plan to be the only microbrewery operating in Galveston County.

No word yet on a planned opening date.

South Austin Brewing Buys Brewhouse

AUSTIN - Owner and brewer Jordan Weeks of the startup South Austin Brewing Company just purchased a 30-barrel brewing system from a downsizing Pennsylvania brewer, as reported by Patrick Beach of the Austin American-Statesman.

The brewing equipment should arrive at South Austin Brewing's location by the end of the month. No word yet on whether this affects their anticipated opening date sometime in 2011.

Ranger Creek Brewing Location

SAN ANTONIO - Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling announced via their Facebook page today that they have signed a lease on a new property for their combined brewery and distilling operations. More details to follow as provided.

Real Ale Launches New Website

BLANCO - Hill country brewer Real Ale launched a newly redesigned and updated website this week. Online improvements include updates, brewery merchandise and updates about the latest products and events.

Texas Craft Brewers Festival

WACO - The Dancing Bear Pub is hosting its first annual Texas Craft Brewers Festival at their location in Waco on Saturday, May 22nd. The event is planned to highlight American Craft Beer Week and should feature the beers of seven craft breweries from around Texas, as well as live music and food.

Dancing Bear Pub is a local Waco beer bar with eventual plans for brewpub operations. The festival will run from 5pm to 1am, with tickets costing $30 per person.

Uncle Billy's Third Anniversary

AUSTIN - Uncle Billy's Brew & Que celebrates its third anniversary today at their Austin location just south of the lake, beginning at 3pm and lasting until close. New anniversary beers will be available, along with live music and food specials.

Great Austin Beer Festival

AUSTIN - An independent Great Austin Beer Festival is planned for June 26th at the downtown Austin Music Hall from 4-8pm.

Attending breweries are still being confirmed, but it appears this is not a Texas-centric event but will feature craft brewers from around the US and a number of imports. Admission is $30, with the price rising to $40 the day of the event.

TwoRows Hires New Brewer

HOUSTON - TwoRows Brewpub recently hired a new head brewer, Ray Mitteldorf, as reported by Ronnie Crocker in his Houston Chronicle blog, "Two Rows welcomes a new brewer."

Mitteldorf has experience brewing at several Central Texas and Houston-area brewpubs, including the now-closed Houston Brewery and more recently at the Dodging Duck in Boerne.

Circle Brewing Brewery Location

AUSTIN - Circle Brewing has found a location for their brewing operations in Austin and has finalized a lease at 340 W Braker Lane, Suite B. This location provides them with 8100 square feet of space in North Austin with easy access to both Mopac and I-35.

Boerne Brewery

BOERNE - The Boerne Star reports another start-up brewery in the planning stages in Central Texas, the Boerne Brewery, in the piece "New brewery to reflect unique Hill Country Heritage."

Owner and brewer Fred Hernandez will build and operate his tiny brewery from property he owns in Boerne. He anticipates brewing and bottling commercially by this summer.

Rahr & Sons Roof Collapse: Update

FORT WORTH - The damage due to the roof collapse at the Rahr & Sons brewery is more extensive than initially reported.


Estimates place roof repairs at 60 to 90 days for the building structure alone, with evaluation of the brewing and bottling equipment still pending access to the facility. Water damage throughout the brewery was extensive, with as much as a foot of standing water resulting from an open water main.

All bottled stock was taken immediately by Coors Distribution, and the product remaining in the fermentation tanks will have to be evaluated. Rahr is expected to be out of operation for at least three months, with their Saturday and Wednesday brewery tours and tastings cancelled until further notice.

Retail shortages of Rahr & Sons beer may occur in the short term, but the losses and repairs are expected to be covered by insurance.

Roof Collapse at Rahr & Sons

FORT WORTH - Record snowfall in North Texas (officially 12.5 inches) caused a partial roof collapse at the Rahr & Sons brewery overnight.


No one was injured in the collapse but the regular Saturday tour and tasting is canceled for this week. Production is suspended until further assessment.

Photos: Jamie Brunner / Rahr

Thirsty Planet Brewing Company

AUSTIN - Yet another start-up craft brewery is in the development stages for Austin, the Thirsty Planet Brewing Company.

Owner and brewer Brian Smittle seems to have already secured a physical location for the brewery in southwest Austin, with no status available for a production date.

South Austin Brewing Company

AUSTIN - Another Austin craft brewery has emerged still in the early planning stages, the South Austin Brewing Company.

Patrick Beach of the Austin American-Statesman reports that veteran brewer Jordan Weeks has already secured a location for an expected opening sometime in 2011. Weeks is planning "aggressive beers that appeal to the already sophisicated craft beer drinker, people who drink Stone and Avery and Lost Abbey. They’re going to be style-challenging."

Root Cellar Cafe Begins Brewing

SAN MARCOS - Operating as a restaurant and local bar since 2005, the Root Cellar Cafe & Gallery has begun brewing small in-house batches of beer to complement their menu.

Silas Parker, who spent time brewing with Bruce Collie of Wimberley Brewing, will be producing only half-barrel (15 gallon) batches that are bottled (no taps) for both on-site consumption and to-go sales.

Wimberley Brewing Company Reopens

WIMBERLEY - Temporarily suspending operations while moving to a nearby smaller location, the Wimberley Brewing Company has reopened as a pizzeria and brewpub.

Brewer Bruce Collie now operates as Brewster's Pizza, supplying locally made beer with New York-style pizza, and plans a reopening celebration sometime later this month.